Aeroplane alighting and launching apparatus.



- J. M. THORP.

AEROPLANE ALIGHTING AND LAUNCHING APPARATUS.

I APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1, 1913- 1,164,967. 7 ygtented'bec. 21, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. THORP, OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

AEROPLANE ALIGHTING AND LAUNCHING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. THORP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alameda, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented anew and useful Aeroplane Alighting and Launching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to launching and alighting apparatus for the use of aeroplanes when aboard ship. a

An object of the invention is to produce an apparatus for the use of aeroplanes aboard ship which will dispense with the use of a long platform for launching and alighting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a substantially stationary platform for the aeroplane to land upon even when the ship may be pitching in a heavy sea.

Other obects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings in which the same reference numeral is applied to the same portion throughout, but I am aware that there are many modifications thereof.

Figure 1' is a perspective View of the complete apparatus, a portion of the ship and also illustrating an aeroplane about to land. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus partly in section and partly broken away for purposes of illustration, the aeroplane float being shown in the act of alighting, Fig. 8 is a side elevation partly in section of the apparatus as it appears shortly prior to the launching of the car, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section of the launching brake.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that in starting an aeroplane it is necessary to'have some place where the machine may be permitted to attain a suflicient speed to rise, or, in alighting, that it is necessary for the aeroplane to have a place to light upon which will be of suflicient extent to permit the speed to be reduced after landing to such an extent as to make it possible to stop the aeroplane without injury to its occupants and to the machinery thereof, but on board ship such practice is not feasible for the reason that such an extent of starting and alighting surface would interfere with the use of the vessel. It, therefore, becomes necessary to provide an inclined way and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

Application filed October 1, 1913. Serial No. 792,791.

brakes to manage the aeroplane in a shorter dlstance than is necessary where ample ground space or water space is to be had.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a suitable cross arm secured to the mast A at a height above the deck of the vessel. The cross arm carries two pulleys 2 over which pulleys the two cables 3 pass. The two cables are connected at the lower ends at the stern of the vessel to fingers 4 secured at 5 to the supporting'arms 6, each arm being substantially the same as the other. The supporting arms are each pivoted on a standard 7, one for each arm, which standard has a rearward 'extension affordingmeans whereby the standard may be bolted to the deck of'the ship B and also for the support of the pressure cylinder 10, said cylinder being trunnioned to permit the piston rod 29 to follow the movement of the cross head 9 to which its upper end is connected.

The launching car '11 is provided with two pairs of wheels 19 and 20 for each of the two cables 3, said wheels being positioned on opposite sides of the cables to insure the retention of the car thereon. Around the sides and the upper end of the car a netting 12 is provided to prevent the aeroplane from passing off the car and to cause the car to be drawn along with the aeroplane when it strikes the car, the momentum of the aeroplane being thus transferred to the landing car.

When an aeroplane is about to be landed the spring pressed chocks 18 are placed in a position adjacent the upper set of wheels 19 and 20, so that when the car has traveled up end thereof and against which the aeroplane will rest should it slide backward on the car. It will, of course, be understood that when it is desired to launch the aeroplane that the chocks 18 are removed entirelv from the machine but the chocks are held by the spring 18 when the car is to be used for receiving the aeroplane.

arms 6 there is a buffer having a suitably heavy spring behind the same to prevent the car 11 from striking the arms with too great a shock.

The cross bar 1 supports a pulley 25 over which a rope 16 passes, said rope being suitably retarded by an operator at the hand brake 26 which is pivotally secured over the pulley so that it will bear on the rope 16. The rope 16 is connected with a ring in the upper end of the launching car and passes through the pulley 25 when the aeroplane is to be launched, but when the aeroplane is to land the rope 16 is passed through a pulley l7 secured on the deck of the vessel adjacent the cylinder 10, said pulley having a brake 17 for retarding the upward move ment of the car 11 after the aeroplane float 15 strikes it on landing.

When the aeroplane is to be launched it is mounted on the car 11 in the manner shown in Fig. 3, the hook-like guard 18 being removed from the car and the releasing hook 23 substituted therefor. The releasing hook comprises a bar 23 pivoted at its lower end to the lower end of the car 11 and a latch 23 pivoted to the upper end of the bar 23 and adapted to project over the end of the float 15. Near the middle of the bar 23 there is pivoted a releasing lever 23 which holds the latch 23 in place until the car'has reached nearly the end of its travel, whereupon the rope 24 will release the latch 23 and permit the aeroplane to continue upon its way. It will be understood that the rope 24 is secured to any suitable stanchion of the ship and is by experiment made of such a length as will permit it to release the latch 23 sufliciently in advance of the buffer 27 to make certain that the aeroplane leaves the car properly.

When the aeroplane is to be launched it is placed upon the car 11 which at that time rests upon the deck with the ropes 3 passing through the several pulleys 19 and 20. The ropes 3 are then raised to the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of the winch 21, the rope or. cable 16 then being passed through the pulley 25, through which pulley it is prevented from payingout by means of the hand brake 26 bearing thereupon. At this time the car occupies the position indicated in Fig. 3 with the support 22 at the upper end holding the float slightly above the bottom of the car and at the same time the car is of course higher up than shown in Fig. 3 and adjacent the mast A.

When the aeroplane is to be landed the rope 16 is brought down to the position indicated in Fig. 2 and passed through the pulley 17 so that in addition to the aeroplane being compelled to travel up from the top of the arms 6 to the height of the bar 1 that the rope 16 will also be usable for the purpose of retarding the travel of the car 11, the rope then occupying the position 16 when the aeroplane has come to a stop.

In calm weather the supporting arms. 6 will remain in substantially the same rela tive position as the deck of the ship, but when the ship is pitching the operator will supply pressure to the cylinder 10 in such a manner as to cause the arms 6 to remain in substantially the same position regardless of the up and down movement of the ship. The supporting arms 6 serve to counteract the rise and fall of the ship, they give additional length to the landing ropes and permit a variation in the incline of the ways and the height of the water of the launching position with ships of very low freeboard to launch the aeroplane, at a sufficient height from the water to make certain a successful flight, D in Fig. 3 indicating the position of the supporting arms when a launching is to take place.

The supports 8 are provided with pins 28 which may be withdrawn for the purpose of hauling the arms 6 in .upon the deck of the vessel for stowing when not in use.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: When the aeroplane is to be launched the car 11 is raised upon the cables 3 to such a height as may be desired, the rope 16 holding it in a given position.' At this time the float 15 is locked in place as-illustrated in Fig. 3, the supporting arms 6 and then placed in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 at D and the car 11 is permitted to run down the ropes or cables 3- as rapidly as may be. The latch 28 is tripped near the end of the travel of the car andthe aeroplane continues its flight.

When the aeroplane is to be landed upon the car 11 the net-work 12 is placed in position, the car is placed at the lower end of the cables 3 and the arms 6 are worked up and down by the attendant as rapidly as may be necessary to maintain them in substantially a fixed position to enable the aeroplane to make a certain landing. The chocks 18 are placed between the upper sets of wheels and the aeroplane strikes the network and carries the car 11 up on the cables 3 until-it is brought to rest, whereupon the chocks 18 will prevent it from running back down the cables, and the hook 13 will prevent the float 15 from sliding upon the car .11 if said float is inclined at such a steep angle as to make that imminent. In each instance the attendants operate the hand brakes 26 and 17 to hold the rope 16 as taut as may be necessary to properly start and land the aeroplane.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows, modifications within the scope of the claims being expressly reserved:

movable support carried by the ship, flexible ways connected to the mast and support, a car on said 'ways, and means on the car for holding an aeroplane.

2. An aeroplane alighting and launching apparatus comprising a ship, a mast thereon, a movable support pivoted to the ship, flexible ways connectedto the mast and support, a car on the ways, wheels for'the car, and means for holding an aeroplane on the car.

3. An aeroplane alighting and launching device comprising a ship, a mast, a pivoted support, flexible ways connecting the mast and support, and means to raise and lower the support.

"oted arm thereon, and means connected with the outer end of the arm and with the ship for landing an aeroplane.

6. The combination with a ship of a mast, a Windlass, pivoted arms vertically movable, cables having one end-connected to the arms and the other end thereof passing through pulleys on the mast and extending to-the Windlass, a car on the cables, and meansfor holding an aeroplane on the car.

7. In an aeroplane alighting and launching apparatus, a mast, flexible ways supported by said mast, vertically movable arms to which the other end of said ways are connected, an aeroplane launching car mounted on said ways, and means for holding an aeroplane upon sald car.

8. An aeroplane alighting and ,launchlng apparatus, comprising a mast, flexible wayssupported by said mast, vertically movable arms to which the other end of said flexible ways are connected, an aeroplane launching car mounted on said ways, means for holding an aeroplane on said car, and means to release said aeroplane from the car when I the aeroplane is to be launched.

9. In an aeroplane alighting and launching apparatus, a mast, flexible ways connected with said mast, vertically movable arms towhich said ways are connected at the opposite end thereof, a car on said ways, means to prevent said car from moving backward upon the ways when an aeroplane has alighted thereon, and means connected with the car for gradually checking the forward motion thereof.

10. An aeroplane alighting and launching apparatus comprising the combination, with a ship, of a mast, flexible ways connected therewith, arms pivotally supported by the ship and extending substantially horizontally therefrom and to the ends of which arms the ways are connected, and means for moving said arms to compensate for the motion of the ship. a

11. The combination, with a ship, of a mast, flexible ways connected with said mast, an aeroplane alighting and launching car on said ways, vertically movable pivoted arms on the ship to which said ways are connected, and means to raise and lower said arms to compensate for the motion of th ship.

12. The combination, with a ship, of a pivoted arm secured to the ship, a mast, and means connected with the arm and the mast for landing and launching an aeroplane.

13. The combination, with a ship, of a pivoted arm secured to the ship, a mast, means connected with the arm and the mast to afford a place for launching and alighting aeroplanes, and means to raiseand lower the arm to reduce the motion of the landing place.

14. The combination, with a ship, of a pivoted support, a mast, a platform carried by the mast and pivoted support, and means to raise and lower the pivoted support toreduce' the movement of the platform.

JAMES M. THORP.

Witnesses:

F. R. NEVILLE, DOROTHY If. THORP. 

